Paard of koe in een landschap 1909

Johan Antonie de Jonge made this drawing, a ‘Paard of koe in een landschap’, with graphite, maybe charcoal. What strikes me is the all-overness of the marks. This isn’t about a polished finish, but about the thinking, the seeing, the feeling. It’s like a map of a moment, not trying to be exact, but giving you the vibe of the place. The texture of the paper shows through, and the smudges and erasures, they’re all part of the story. Look at the way the artist uses these marks to suggest depth, creating the sensation of a receding landscape, without ever truly solidifying it. See how the trees are more like scribbles and the ‘Paard of koe’ nothing but a ghostly shadow? It’s all suggestion, which is what drawings do so well. Think of someone like Cy Twombly, who also built whole worlds out of just a few, well-placed lines.